A method for controlling a game character, comprising following steps: in response to a sliding operation started from an initial position of the skill button, locking the virtual joystick for disabling control of the skill release direction of the game character; monitoring a track of the sliding operation, obtaining a current position P2 of a touch point of the sliding operation, and calculating a vector a; determining whether the vector a meets the condition of |a|>a preset threshold L; if yes, generating a first operating instruction to release a skill in the direction of the vector a; and unlocking the virtual joystick; if no, determining whether the sliding operation has been released; if yes, generating a second operating instruction to release the skill, wherein a release direction is a current orientation of the game character; and unlocking the virtual joystick. The method may effectively reduce a misoperation rate.